Jackson hotels

First opened in 1965, the Virginian Lodge captures the spirit of the classic American motor lodge, but the new incarnation has been designed for modern travellers. The warm and welcoming lobby with its taxidermy mounts makes it clear you’re in the untamed West. The tidy guestrooms feel both modern and retro, with mid-century sideboards, Pendleton blankets and bistro tables.

Just 20 minutes from Grand Teton National Park’s Moose Entrance, The Virginian Lodge is an excellent base for adventurers exploring the Tetons. At the hotel’s Outbound Adventure Center, guests can gear up for winter or summer excursions, from hiking to fishing.

Another reason this is one of the best hotels in Jackson is the large inner courtyard with its firepits and swimming pool. Meanwhile, the burger counter serves the best waffle fries and soft serve ice cream in town, and the craft cocktails and karaoke nights at the saloon complete the nostalgic Western vibes.

Understated yet luxurious, The Cloudveil, an Autograph Collection hotel, embodies Jackson’s signature Western style. The name is a nod to the Teton Range’s Cloudveil Dome and, in my opinion, the hotel does the best job of capturing the region’s natural beauty through design choices that incorporate natural elements.

The open lobby, anchored by a boulder front desk, has a three-storey rock wall and oversized wood-burning fireplace. Meanwhile, the 100 guestrooms and suites display a neutral palette, custom wood and leather furnishings, fireplaces and mountain-inspired paintings and photography.

The rooftop terrace further anchors guests to the outdoors, overlooking Jackson’s historic Town Square and Snow King Mountain. Outdoor-savvy concierges love creating unforgettable itineraries for guests, like exploring the hidden side of Yellowstone. When you’re ready to rest and refill, The Cloudveil also has an outdoor pool and garden, a fitness centre, and a bistro-style restaurant and bar.

With just 55 guestrooms, including suites with breathtaking mountain views, Hotel Jackson is one of the best luxury hotels in Jackson. Rooms are rustically elegant, with reclaimed barn wood, soft leather and modern Western furniture in materials like rawhide and metal. The BVLGARI bath products transport you to a top-notch spa, while Hotel Jackson’s signature restaurant, FIGS, is adjacent to the lobby and serves excellent cocktails and Lebanese cuisine.

Hotel guests can order drinks and small plates while perusing the collection of art and photography books in the exclusive Sacajawea Library. The best spot is by the fire with a stiff drink in hand.

The LEED-built hotel is in the heart of town, a lively business district with designer boutiques, upscale art galleries and entertainment venues. The throwback Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, where guests sit on real saddle-topped bar stools, located just half a block from the hotel, is a must-visit.

Jackson visitors have one big decision to make: stay in the town centre, where it’s easy to walk to shopping and restaurants or stay in Teton Village, where you can experience all that Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has to offer without getting in a car. Travellers who choose the latter can’t do better than Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa, which combines the warmth of a grand mountain lodge with modern décor.

The lodge, one of the best hotels in Jackson for skiers, has alpine-inspired guestrooms and offers convenient access to the resort’s steep and long runs. But there’s still plenty to do in summer, like mountain biking and climbing the assisted climbing routes, known as the Via Ferrata.

It’s also at the base of Grand Teton National Park and an easy drive to Yellowstone. I highly recommend visiting the delicious Italian restaurant, Il Villaggio Osteria, at the lodge’s slope-side sister property, Hotel Terra.

Many of the best hotels in Jackson sport a more modern look, but travellers who prefer spaces filled with charm and history will want to check into the Wort Hotel. The grand structure opened in 1941 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to its stone accents and Tudor architecture.

The hotel’s heavy wood doors lead to a wood-panelled lobby with a grand staircase. The 55 guestrooms and suites are unabashedly Western, with rustic wood bed frames, cowhide pillows and bronze artworks. Staff are always on hand to help park your car, help with outdoor equipment or pour you a cup of complimentary hot chocolate.

Guests receive free access to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, which typically charges a cover when there are bands, something I took advantage of during my stay. The hotel’s Silver Dollar Bar, where the bar top has been inlaid with 1921 silver dollars, is also one of the best places for live music.

Featuring alpine lakes, jagged peaks and forests, Jackson has natural beauty to rival the Alps. You’ll feel like you’re in Austria when you check into the Alpenhof, located at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort next to the Aerial Tram. The inn features traditional Austrian architecture, a swimming pool and a hot tub.

In winter, the wooden building is dusted with snow, and in summer, planter boxes on the balconies have pink and purple blooms. Inside, there’s always fantastic wine, friendly service and music.

One of the best hotels in Jackson Hole for dining, guests enjoy fondue and wiener schnitzel by the fire in the winter and wild-caught salmon on the patio in the summer. Accommodations are just as cozy, with handmade Austrian, Bavarian, and Tyrolean furniture and décor, down comforters, and mountain views. The Alpenhof is 3.2 km from Grand Teton National Park and an hour to Yellowstone.

Hotels located within easy reach of a town centre don't often offer night skies free of light pollution. But that's exactly what you get at Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa, one of the best hotels in Jackson for nature lovers. When I stayed there, I loved strolling through the property's seven-acre nature preserve with wetlands, fishing and firepits, before easily walking into the heart of town to shop and dine.

Because the property on N. Cache is so vast – 12 acres in total – it feels like a camp, but the accommodations are more luxurious than the typical rustic cabin. Rooms have double pillowtop mattresses, vaulted ceilings and terraces with Adirondack chairs where you can stargaze and listen to the babbling sounds of Flat Creek.

Spa suites offer more pampering with personal butler service, a fireside hot tub and turndown service. The full-service spa's eucalyptus steam room and sauna are welcome refuges.

Constructed from reclaimed wood from Yellowstone National Park’s 1988 great fire, Brentwood Inn exudes the charm of a European inn. Among the highest-rated lodgings in Jackson, each room boasts a unique design, ranging from a forest cabin-inspired guestroom to a bunkhouse suite featuring a Scandinavian Inglenook bed. Guests will enjoy amenities such as fireplaces, king-sized beds, luxurious linens and cozy bay window seats.

Each day begins with complimentary breakfast, including locally roasted coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, house-baked bread and chef’s daily specialties. The hotel offers a wealth of activities to keep guests engaged, from evening hors d'oeuvres to cruiser bikes in the warmer months, snowshoes in winter and a back deck with a firepit and spacious lawn.

Conveniently situated in Wilson between Teton Village and Jackson, the Inn is the ideal base for exploring both destinations.

The historic Huff House was built in 1917 by Jackson's first doctor, but the owners have since expanded the bed and breakfast's offerings over the years. In addition to guestrooms in the historic home, which I love for its warm design and residential feel, guests can stay in studio-style suites with their own entrances at a newer building on Broadway.

The 14 spacious accommodations can house up to four guests and have gas fireplaces and glass showers. But guests return here year after year and consistently rank it among the best hotels in Jackson because Huff House Inn feels more like a well-appointed home than a hotel.

The communal area with its hot tub, firepit and outdoor seating feels delightfully private. Guests are treated to many complimentary amenities, including daily coffee, breakfast and house-made cookies. Meanwhile, thoughtful staff love sharing recommendations for the best places to eat and shop.

The Wyoming Inn of Jackson Hole, located just a few minutes from Jackson town centre, embraces Western living throughout. That’s part of the reason why this is one of the best hotels in Jackson. Guests pull up beneath a wide stone and wood porte-cochère porch and enter a warm, welcoming lobby. The guestrooms and suites average 37 sq. m and boast earth tones, wood trim and leather furniture. Some have fireplaces, window seats and sofa sleepers.

The hotel showcases the most extensive private collection of wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelsen’s work, while The Whistling Grizzly restaurant serves Wyoming bison, elk tenderloin and lemon herb-seared Idaho trout. Try the blood orange crème brulée – it’s easily one of the best desserts in town.

Experiences like wildlife safaris in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge, and private tours of Yellowstone National Park can be booked through the hotel.